


1942 The Month Of Sorrow

by BitterChocolateStars



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Implied or Off-stage Rape/Non-con, Torture, Violence, World War II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-02
Updated: 2013-06-02
Packaged: 2017-12-13 19:05:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 9
Words: 5,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/827782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BitterChocolateStars/pseuds/BitterChocolateStars
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It had been a normal mission,make it passed enemy camps and bring the solders stuck on the other side supplies. One accident, and Matthew was at the mercy of German Brigadier general Amery Fischer who he soon discovers is completely insane. Alfred is on the hunt,he swears he'll find Matthew even if he has to tear Germany (The land not person} apart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 1942 WWII / Day 1

**Author's Note:**

> Through most of this Matthew is speaking German, I was just lazy and didn't want to translate it into actual German.

**Matthew.**

* * *

 

Matthew ran, he had been running for hours, trudging through the snow. Trying to reach the stranded men that had been left behind, he came alone with nothing but a pack of supplies; he had even left his bear behind. He was dangerously close to enemy lines and needed to keep low profile, staying close to the trees and keeping low to the ground had worked so far and he was halfway there.

He could see the German camp from where he was. He knew he was taking a chance getting so close, but it was faster this way. Looking around him through his goggles he had to constantly keep guard and quick, if he fails he risks falling into enemy hands, if that happened he would never hear the end of it from Alfred.

The snow was deep, reaching his knees, so it was no surprise really that he didn't see the large trench till he was falling into it head first.

"Fuck." He groaned lifting himself up out of the frozen mud. He cursed again realizing he had lost his glasses and goggles, he thanked his creator that he was farsighted, unfortunately if he couldn't see his hand in front of his face he didn't have the time to dig around for his glasses. Pulling himself up onto his feet he felt around for some kind of ladder, nothing, not even a rope or shallow incline.

"Shit shit shit." He muttered. Walking blind (Literally) into enemy territory something he wanted to avoid, but having no idea what direction he was going in it would be a matter of luck if he made it out untouched by the enemy. He continued walking his left hand on the wall was his only guide, and clue to where he was going.

He turned a sharp corner and by chance (or bad luck) he managed to trip over a large crate knocking it and the ones around it to the ground.

"This way, I heard something!" He heard someone yell in German.

_'Fuck!'_ Getting back on his feet quickly he turned and started to backtrack the way he had come. The sound of running feet behind him urged him to go faster, but everything around him was a blurry mess, the brown of the mud walls blurring together leaving him with no idea where he was going or what was around him.

He really wished he was out in the open, as long as it was farther than ten feet away he could see it, but trapped down in the tight confining space of the trench with only few feet between each wall he was blind.

As he rounded another corner he collided with a tall man sending them both into the mud. Scrabbling to get back up the man grabbed a fist full of Matthew's hair, dragging the blind boy up with him.

"Look what we have here boy's, a little lost puppy." The man laughed as Matthew continued to struggle in vain. With quick thinking Matthew reached down and pulled the knife from his thigh and swung backwards where he assumed the man's face was.

"Shit!" the man yelled jerking backwards and letting go of Matthew's hair. Matthew took the opportunity to make a run for it.

"Grab him!" He heard the man bark, and the sound of several running feet followed him. He was panicking now, with no idea where he was going he turned right and was horrified when he realized it was a dead end.

"Merde!"  _{Crap}_

"Nowhere to run now little puppy." An angry German voice growled from behind him. Matthew turned to face them, knife in hand. He could make out six of them, tall, muscular, that was all he could make out from the man shaped blurs in front of him.

"Fuck you!" Matthew spat back in German.

"Feisty, I like it, take him alive." The man ordered a grin evident in his voice. The first man marched up gun in hand leveled at Matthew's head. When he got within reach Matthew struck driving his knife deep into the man's arm, causing him to drop the gun. Pulling the knife out he drove it into the man's neck, he could feel the warm blood soaking into his gloves.

Looking up he could make out five guns now pointed at him. He knew he wouldn't make it out of the trench alive if he kept resisting.

The representation of Canada did the only thing he could do, he dropped the knife. One of the men walks up and slammed the butt of his gun into Matthew's temple, knocking the nation out cold.

**XxXoOoXxX**

Matthew had to add waking up tied to a chair to his top ten ways he never wanted to wake up, right under waking up naked next to France. He looked around trying to make out some of the room, so far he made out a bed a table and a chair.

His head hurt and he tasted blood in his mouth and knew he must have bit his tongue when the man had hit him. A door opened behind him, letting in a cold breeze making him shiver, it was then that he realized that he was only wearing pants and his undershirt.

"Matthew Williams, representation of Canada." A cold gleeful voice said from behind him. "Seems like you're a very special person puppy."

"When are you turning me over?" Matthew asked, cutting straight to the point. If a nation is captured they were to be handed over to the nation they were caught by. He knew it was only a matter of time before Ludwig came for him.

"Oh no, I'm not going to just hand over such a lovely specimen, I mean I've only heard rumors about the dreaded Canadian squads that strike fear into the hearts of the enemy, but to think that we would catch the country itself, amazing."

Matthew felt his mouth go dry. "What do you mean, I'm a nation, its protocol to hand me over to your boss."

"Yes it is, but I'm going to guess that no one knows where you are right now, you were the one they sent to help those poor stranded souls on the other side of the ridge."

Matthew felt cold realization hit him. "You killed them already." A statement not a question.

"Yes, just an hour ago actually."

"You bastard!"

**Crack!**

The sound of the man's open palm hitting Matthew's face echoes through the room.

"I will not tolerate disrespect." The man growled.

"Fuck off." Matthew spat.

**Crack!**

Matthew feels blood pooling in his mouth from that hit, he spits in on the man's shoes, or at least where he thinks the man's shoes are.

"Your just making this harder on yourself, I came in here to punish you, you killed one of my men." There's the sound of something snapping as the man flicks it, Matthew realizes it's a riding crop, he also realizes that he's about to be in a lot of pain.

"Go to hell." He growled.

Matthew's screams echo through the camp.


	2. Day 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Okay, last chapter, Matthew's sight? 
> 
> My head canon: Matthews farsighted, horribly so, but that's what makes him an awesome sniper. Alfred is nearsighted as bad as Matthew is farsighted.
> 
> Also:  
> (Amelia Earhart & Alfred=BFFs)

**Alfred.**

* * *

 

"Are you sure?" Alfred asked for the hundredth time, looking around the abandoned trench entrance.

"For fuck sakes Alfred, yes I'm sure; I helped him plan the route!" Arthur snapped. He felt guilty; they had been searching for Matthew for days after they discovered that the men in the camp had been slaughtered and they had no word from Matthew, felt guilty that it had taken three days without word from anyone at the camp for them to come looking, he had watched Alfred comb the camp looking for any sign of his brother, upon finding none it was decided that he hadn't made it to the camp.

Now following the same route that Matthew had taken they came upon an abandoned German trench.

Alfred nodded before heading in, Arthur following after. A hundred feet in Alfred abruptly stops and bends down.

"What's wrong?" Arthur asked. Alfred stands up and holds out a pair of glasses in one hand, in the other is the pair of goggles Amelia had given Matthew.  **  
**

Alfred face is dark as he stuffs the items into his pocket, before taking off deeper into the trench. Arthur has to jog to keep up with him, his worry now through the roof.

They walked into an abandoned camp; the only building with an actual door was locked up. That didn't stop Alfred from just ripping to thing off its hinges.

"Oh god." Alfred groaned holding his hand up to his mouth. Looking around him Arthur had the same thought.

The room was covered in blood, all of it around a chair in the middle of the floor. Alfred stepped in and started to survey the room when he noticed the set of dog tags lying on the floor next to the chair caked in dried blood. Picking them up he had to scrap away the blood to read the name, when he did his blood ran cold and anger clouded his vision.

He lashed out punching a nearby table and leaving a dent when he pulled his fist away.

"Alfred?" Arthur questioned carefully. Alfred said nothing just held out the dog tags; Arthur took them and read them.

"Matthew Williams… oh Christ!" He groaned rushing outside to spill the contents of his stomach. When he came back inside Alfred was looking around at all the different tables upon which held all sorts of different knives and whips. Matthew's bag slung over his shoulder from where he had found it tucked in the corner of the room.

"They tortured him here." He said hoarsely, attempting to hold back the nausea and worry eating away at him.

"Alfred we have to leave, the blood is at least three day's old, we need to go back and regroup with the others." As much as it hurt him to say it he knew he was right, he also knew that Alfred wouldn't think the same.

"Leave, we have to go find him England, who knows what they're doing to him now!"

"Alfred we don't know where they went, we need to go back and gather intelligence before running off on some half-baked rescue operation."

Alfred knew England was right, but looking around the room and all the blood covered torturing tools he felt he needed to do something; only he had no idea where they had taken his brother. Sighing in defeat he turned, taking the tags back from England he placed them around his own neck to sit next to his own.

"We'll get him back, even if I have to tear Germany down brick by brick with my bear hands."


	3. Day 10

**Matthew.**

* * *

 

He had lost count of how many days it had been since his capture. Dwelling on it was not something he wanted to do, he wasn't about to let torture stop him from finding a way out of this hell hole. Looking around at the blob shaped guards, he counted three in total. He would have laughed at their lack of precaution, if he had the energy.

He had lost too much blood, without enough rest or provisions he wasn't healing fast enough to do anything other than hang from the ceiling where they chained him. They hadn't bothered blindfolding him; they had learned early on that he was blind. But they had learned that shackling him and cuffing him was a smart idea after his last escape attempt had killed three more men.

"So Matthew how are you enjoying the ride?" The man from before asked. Matthew had learned his name was Amery and he was high ranking, a Brigadier general, and a member of the SS, he had felt the Totenkopfring as it dug into his flesh, every time the man had hit him.  _{Totenhopfring: Skull Ring}_

"It's fan-fucking-tastic." Matthew spat at him. They were currently on a train traveling from the outskirts of France, heading deeper into Axis territory by train.

"You would do well to watch that mouth of yours, before it gets you into trouble."

"Why, you're just going to torture me anyway."

"I do not want to torture you, it ruins that pretty face of yours puppy, but you need to learn respect." Amery said sadly, running his hand across Matthew's cheek.

"I have respect, just not for pigs like you!" Matthew snapped. Amery sighed motioning the men to leave the room.

"Matthew do you know where I'm taking you?"

Matthew stayed silent, he had a bad feeling about where this conversation was heading.

"I'm taking you home with me." Amery said leaning closer to Matthew until they were face to face.

"You're committing treason." Matthew whispers, he can't bring himself to raise his voice, the knot of fear settling in his gut wouldn't let him.

"I have had a very long, very painful career, a little treason would do me some good, and besides… no one knows where you are."

Matthew knew then, that the man holding him captive was insane; he also knew that he was right. No one knew where Matthew was, no one was coming for him, they had bigger things to worry about, they probably figured Matthew was on his way to see Ludwig to be handed over to the Allies.

_'No one is coming for me.'_

A hand traveling down his chest brought him out of his thoughts.

"What are you doing?" Matthew managed to ask.

"You have very strange eyes; I wonder what they look like clouded in pleasure."

The knot of fear erupted into full blown panic.

"Get your filthy hands off me!"

"Don't worry puppy, we'll get to the pleasure when we arrive at my home, until then I love seeing your eyes clouded in pain." Amery stepped back reaching for his knife, before he could pull in from its sheath one of the solders burst through the door.

"Sir we have to abandon the train the enemy is advancing on us!"

"Shit, unhook him and bring him along!" Amery ordered marching from the room. The solder unlocked the chains from his feet, and unhooked the cuffs from the ceiling of the train car.

"Don't try anything." The man growled dragging Matthew, stumbling, from the room. He felt the train start to slow down before coming to a complete stop.

"Where are we going, we're in the middle of nowhere." Matthew grumbled at the man pulled him along. As they stepped outside Matthew got his first clear look around them, rolling hills covered in snow.

He saw the Sniper, hidden in the snow covered trees, before the man holding him dropped like a sack of flour. He didn't waste any time before he started to run for it. He knew if he made it to the safety of the trees all he had to do was find the Ally squad currently shooting the shit out of the Germans behind him.

He only made it thirty feet before his leg erupted in searing hot pain, causing his to drop to the ground in pain.

"Did you think you could get away from me puppy, look what you made me do." A foot stepped mercilessly onto the bullet wound in his calf.

Matthew struggled, and cursed as Amery lifted him up and threw him into the jeep they'd had stored on the train.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How many thought he was actually going to get away?
> 
> I know, i wanted him to make it to the safety of the trees too, but Alfred hasn't had a chance to tear apart Germany yet.
> 
>  
> 
> I studied for this story:
> 
> { Brigadeführer: Translation Brigade leader/ SA equivalent Brigadeführer/ Heer equivalent Generalmajor/ US equivalent Brigadier general}
> 
> {The SS-Ehrenring ("SS Honour Ring"), unofficially called Totenkopfring ("Skull Ring"), was an award of Heinrich Himmler's Schutzstaffel (SS). It was not a state decoration, but rather a personal gift bestowed by Himmler. The SS Honor Sword was a similar award. The ring was initially presented to senior officers of the Old Guard (of which there were fewer than 5,000) who had displayed extraordinary valor and leadership skill in battle. An additional requirement was a clean disciplinary record, and a subsequent blemish on it would require the wearer to return the ring. By 1939, disciplinary issues aside, it was available to any officer with 3 years service in the SS, and in World War II virtually the entire SS leadership, including the Waffen-SS and Gestapo, had the ring.}


	4. Day 12

**Alfred.**

* * *

 

The solder that burst through the tent was the newest victim to the bombardment of verbal murder.

"I swear to god if it's not important then I don't want to hear it, I have more important things to do than listen to more inventory reports!"

"Sir-"

"And another thing-"

"SIR!"

"What?!"

"We have information on Matthew Williams sir."

"Why didn't you just say so, what is it?"

"A squad saw him while taking out a German unit traveling by train."

"Is he alright, did they get him?"

"Unfortunately it seems he is being held captive by a member of the SS, he was unable to get away due to a bullet wound to the leg, they drove off in a jeep before the squad could get to him in time."

"Son of a bitch!" Alfred growled slamming his fist into the small metal table he was sitting at.

"Sir… if it makes a difference, they said the train was heading towards Munich Germany." The solder muttered before saluting and turning to leave. Before he left Alfred spotted the red and white stripped flag on his shoulder.

He knew he wasn't the only one missing Matthew, his people were worried sick.

**…XXX…**

"Alfred slow down!" Arthur yelled gripping the dash of the jeep as it jerked and bounced.

"The kid said the train was headed to Munich, we got permission to snoop around the train, all we have to do is figure out who was on it and what they were going to do in Munich then we have more info to work with." Alfred said ignoring Arthur's plea for him to slow down the jeep.

"Alfred I understand but please slow down!"

"No can do, it's already been ten days, the solder said he got shot, if we don't hurry then who knows what else might happen."

"Alfred I know you're worried, we all are, but you need to think things through, crashing us into a tree will not help find Matthew."

"You need to have more faith in my driving skills Arty." As Alfred said this, the jeep jerked to the right causing Arthur to have a mini heart attack.

"Oh god you're going to kill us."

He didn't complain that much, he was just as excited about the discovery as Alfred, the sooner they got Matthew back the sooner Alfred would stop verbally murdering anyone who so much as looked at him funny. He was worried too, though for different reasons than Alfred, Matthew should have been on his way to Berlin, not Munich, so it was strange that he would have been on the train they were looking for.

**…OOO…**

The long black train stood out against the expanse of snow behind it. It was truly a magnificent sight.

It left a bad taste in Alfred's mouth.

Knowing that his brother had been so close to rescue, so close to getting away from the man that was hurting him, left him feeling angry and hurt, if they couldn't get to him while he was so close, who's to say they could get him back at all.

Despite what the other nations thought, he wasn't stupid. He knew there was something weird going on, if Alfred truly thought that Matthew was being sent to Ludwig in Berlin he would have gone straight there. The man holding his brother was up to something, and he knew it wouldn't end well for Matthew if they didn't find him soon.

"Alfred, you stupid wanker help me!" Arthur called from the train; in his hands he held a large box full of documents.


	5. Day 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry of about the shortness of this one, I just didn't want to draw it out. So I made it short simple and to the point. Also there is implied rape so… yeah, I don't like writing rape so I decided that if I didn't have to I wouldn't.

**Matthew.**

* * *

 

He was dragged down a long flight of stairs and thrown in a solid stone room. Blindly he felt around the room, memorizing the layout in his mind from what he could feel. One solid wooden door with a small window covered in bars, two windows opposite the door also bared over.

It hurt to walk on his injured leg but sitting around waiting for his crazy captor was not on his list of things to do, he was at least grateful they cleaned and stitched up the wound.

He paced for hours, until his lags collapsed underneath him. Laying on the floor of the dark cold cell the feeling of hopelessness crashed down upon him, leaving him to curl up in a ball and finally he let himself cry.

He wanted to go home, he wanted his brothers loud laugh to wake him up; he wanted Arthur's constant nagging about what was proper conduct. He wanted his glasses most of all, that way he could actually see Amery when he finally punched the man in the face.

He didn't know how long he lay on the floor, or when he had fallen asleep. He woke up tied to a chair; he decided that it was now worse than waking up naked next to France. Looking around his new location, from what he could make out he realized he was in a bedroom, a large four poster bed sat in the middle of the room.

"Your awake, I was afraid I'd have to wait longer." Amery's voice came from behind him.

"Oh good, thanks for deciding to wait before you tortured me." Matthew deadpanned.

"Torture, dear puppy now is not the time for torture." He said coming to stand in front of Matthew's chair.

"What?" Matthew felt fear crawl up his spine as he thought back to what the man had said on the train.

"Now is the time to see what pleasure looks like clouded in your eyes." He purred running a hand down Matthew's cheek.

"You're committing treason; you can be killed for this." Matthew reminded Amery, holding in the tears he felt stinging his eyes. He wouldn't allow this man to see him cry.

"I am willing to risk it." Amery said, Matthew heard the snap of a clasp and knew Amery had just pulled his knife.

"I thought you said no torture?"

"I did, I just need something to help me remove your clothing."

"I'm going to kill you, you know that right?" Matthew growled.

"I know puppy, and I can't wait until you try." Amery whispered in his ear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll let your minds take it from there.


	6. Day 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you are wondering about the evil dude's name and why I chose it, it means: Divine Butcher. I thought it fitting.

**Alfred.**

* * *

 

It had taken them weeks to find the information they needed. Mostly thanks to Arthur rooting around underground information networks.

There was one man, that the team from the train assault confirmed, that was high enough rank to have Matthew.

Amery Fleischer a Brigadier general and a member of the SS. Alfred held the information in his hands. He knew a name now. He wanted to hunt this man down and destroy him, find his brother and never let leave his sight.

"Alfred!" Arthur yelled snapping him from his dark thoughts. Looking up he stared at the man glaring down at him with worry in his green irises.

"What?"

"You're crushing the table." Arthur says flatly, pointedly not looking at the spot that Alfred had just twisted.

"O-oh… sorry." Alfred muttered moving his hands off the table and placing them in his lap.

"You were thinking about Matthew." It wasn't a question, but a statement.

"Yeah… do they have any more info on his whereabouts?"

"They do." Arthur says slowly, carefully. Knowing full well that if he gave Alfred too much info he would disappear, off on his own to hunt the man down.

"Okay when do we leave?" Alfred asked hopeful and excited.

"There is a house, one that will be very hard to get into."

"But you found it, when do we leave?" He asked again.

"A few days, Alfred I want you to promise me something though."

"What?" Alfred asks pausing in his excited state, the look on his face almost made Arthur pause.

"We have to take this slow Alfred, no running into anything head first, and you will follow whatever orders are given to you."

"I promise Arthur." Alfred's expression spoke volumes, Arthur believed him. His face was open and his eyes were wide with worry and excitement at having something to finally take his anger out on.

Before Alfred could run off Arthur grabbed his arm holding him in place.

"What Arthur?" Alfred sighed, looking into Arthur's serious eyes and solemn face.

"No matter what we find..."

"I know Arty, I know." Alfred cut him off pulling Arthur's hand off his arm, holding it for a minute before dropping it. "I won't make any promises, you know that."

"I know, I just wish I didn't." Arthur sighed watching as Alfred stood up and jogged off. "God how i wish i didn't." Looking down into his cup of tea he prayed that they would get Matthew back whole and well. He didn't hold his breath though, he had seen one of the few victims of torture dragged from a prison camp. It wasn't pretty, the man screamed to be put out of his pain, wanting to die.

Arthur wished he could talk to France at the moment, but he was gone, controlled by Germany, untouchable to Arthur. Not for the first time Arthur felt the strings of sorrow pull at his heart.


	7. Day 28

**Matthew.**

* * *

 

He refused to be broken, he wouldn't let the man hurting him see him give up. He thought of Alfred, thought about what the 'hero' would do. He wouldn't give up, Matthew knew that much.

So when he had woken up and discovered that he had been untied and dropped on the floor, like a puppet, after the third day of torture. He struggled to sit up, arms aching, back aching, body in general aching. He got his legs under him and stood up with a slight wobble, he stumbled towards where he remembered the door being.

He stumbled into it, felt around for the knob and quietly opened the door. He was glad someone had dressed him, not that he would have cared if he was naked, it was just cold and he didn't feel like contracting hypothermia on top of a bullet wound and… He didn't want to think about the rest.

Stumbling into the hallway he squinted looking around he saw a window. Outside the ground was covered in snow. He memorized what he could see, knowing if he made it out he would need to remember what was out there.

As he stumbled through the halls he had to grip the wall to keep himself up.

"MATTHEW!" Amery's voice echoed through the halls. He started to panic, breathing heavy he knew he would be found if he didn't speed up he pace.

Matthew ran, not seeing where he was going, ignoring the pain that radiated from his leg, ignoring the way his body wanted to curl up and give up. He ran until he made it out into an empty hallway. Large archway doors stood between him and freedom.

"Don't you know it's rude to try and leave without saying goodbye?" A sickeningly sweet voice said behind him. Matthew froze to the spot, just a foot away from freedom, he felt his legs growing weak, and the only thing keeping him standing was the adrenalin pumping through him.

"I would have but you seemed busy." He snapped refusing to look behind him.

"Now now Matthew where did you think you would go, there is nothing out there, no one around that would help you." The voice grew closer. His hand twitched towards the door and Amery laughed.

"I would rather freeze in the snow than stay here with you." Matthew growled ripping open the door and sprinting out into the snow. Amery roared in anger behind him.

"MATTHEW, YOUR MINE I WON'T LET YOU GET AWAY!"

Matthew ignored him, only focusing on getting farther away from him.

He made it to the driveway and starting sprinting towards the road, Amery was right behind him, he could practically feel his breath on the back of his neck.

Pain, sharp and searing, shot up his leg; making him cry out, stumble. His leg collapsed underneath him and he fell into the snow, painfully close to the road, only a few feet from the front gates.

"See my little rebellious puppy, fate does not want you to leave me." Amery panted standing above Matthew's body.

"Fuck you!" Matthew bit out; panting and feeling hope start to crumble.

"You will  _never_  get away from me~"

That was the last thing Matthew heard before a sharp pain radiated from the back of his head and the world went black.


	8. Day 30

**Ludwig.**

* * *

Rumors.

That's what brought him to the house in the middle of winter. Home to one of his trusted SS, but the rumors from the man's own squad were too many to ignore.

Canada, He had heard rumors that the nation was missing, caught by Germans, he waited for days for his men to bring the young boy in but it never happened. So when he heard rumors that one of his men was keeping the nation locked up and tortured he could hardly ignore them.

That was treason, no matter the reason. If the man was found guilty then he would have to face execution.

Ludwig walked up the stone steps to the man's front doors, leaving behind his bodyguards.

"Herr Deutschland." Amery greeted him at the door. His smile tight and his hands clenched at his sides.

"Where is he?" Ludwig asks stepping past him into the entry way; looking around the immaculate space he started down a hallway at random.

"Where is who?" Amery asked following behind him, there was a slight tremor in his voice. Ludwig ignored him as he spotted a faint trail of blood smeared across the wall where someone had used it as support. He followed it to a large set of wooden doors.

"What's behind this door?" Ludwig asks him; placing a hand on the knob before looking expectantly at the man fidgeting under his stare.

"There is nothing in there-"

The sound of a loud crash echoed from behind the door. Ludwig ignored Amery's protests and burst through the doors. The sight before him shocked him to silence.

A pale body hung from the ceiling by his wrists; standing next to him face clouded in anger and rage stood an almost exact copy of the boy hanging from the ceiling.

"America." Ludwig greets, hand shooting out to grab Amery by the throat.

"What did you do to my brother?!" America growls reaching up and snapping the chains apart; catching the falling body he cradles Canada to his chest.

"Believe me when I say I had no knowledge of this."

"Oh I believe you, but that scum your holding-"

"Will be dealt with, now I suggest you take your brother and leave before I am obligated to capture you both."

America nods, picking Canada up bridal style he makes his way out through the hole he made in the wall when he broke in; he doesn't look back once.

"For your act of treason you will be executed." Ludwig states dragging a struggling Amery with him down the hall.

"W-wait-"

The gunshot echoed through the building.

"Sir?" A young solder calls from the door.

"This man was a traitor." Ludwig explains placing his gun back in its holster.

"And the captured nation sir?"

"Missing."


	9. Recovery

**Arthur**

* * *

Alfred sat in his chair next to Matthew's bed for the sixth night in a row.

"Alfred I'm sure he'll be fine if you take ten minutes to go grab something to eat." Arthur says standing next to his chair.

"But what if he wakes up while I'm gone?" Alfred asks desperation in his voice thick. Arthur had been furious when he discovered Alfred missing from his tent. Had run after him in a calculated rage unable to believe he had fallen for the oldest trick in the book. It had been nearly three days since Arthur had found Alfred carrying an unconscious Matthew in his arms through the blizzard that swirled around them like they carried general winter's blessing. (Being that Matthew was a winter nation he didn't doubt the boy did.)

Now standing here watching Alfred's haggard face watch over Matthew's battered one he felt his lingering anger slip away.

"I'll watch over him till you get back, and I'll send someone for you if he wakes." Arthur sighs, because honestly he needed a minute alone with his thoughts and this worked for them both. Alfred looked up and him with a small smile on his face.

"Really, thanks Artie!" Leaving no time for Arthur to protest the name Alfred was out the door in a matter of seconds. Sitting in Alfred's abandoned chair a deep sigh rips itself from his chest like it had been waiting there since this entire nightmare began.

"Your brother certainly is something isn't he?" he mutters to the sleeping nation.

"Something being the key word." A raspy voice answers him startling the English nation. His eyes snap to the battered face lying on the mountain of pillows Alfred rustled up from places unknown.

"Bloody hell lad, give an old man a heart attack why don't you!" He breathes taking in the black eye and the split lip

"Sorry."

"Oh no, you do not get to apologize for anything, not after what you've been through…" He pauses to take a calming breath. "It should be me that apologizes… I knew it would be dangerous to send you alone yet I did so anyway, please forgive me."

"It's war Arthur… we do what we have to."

"Yes but-"

"Artie you said you'd send someone for me!" Alfred cry's flinging himself toward the bed.

"Hey Alfie." Matthew smiles. Before either nation could continue Arthur stood up gave Matthew a quick hug whispering in his ear as he did so.

"If you need someone to talk to, remember that I'll listen." Matthew hugs him back nodding slightly in acknowledgment. Standing strait he turned and made his way towards the door. "I think I'll take my leave, you two have much to talk about." Pointlessly as the two nations are no longer paying attention to him.

"Mattie, I was so scared-" He catches Alfred whisper before the hospital door clicks shut behind him.

He knows sooner or later Matthew will come to him and talk about what happened, maybe not today or even in the next ten years but eventually he will need to talk to someone. He knows Matthew won't talk to Alfred about it, he wouldn't want his brother to know. So when the day comes that Matthew wants to talk about it he'll be ready and he will listen to his son talk about the things that happened, and how deeply scarred he really was.


End file.
